h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A couple more tidbits about when we took possession of our home...

The first time in the door, with keys of ownership, my wife and I did a teeny dance of joy. Immediately followed by my pulling a small spring-loaded center-punch out and making a tiny hole under a light-switch cover in the smallest bedroom. She asked "Why?" Of course, the answer was "Because I can !!!" Cuts, revisions, decorating, anything that isn't structurally damaging, can be done without begging for permissions from anyone. That bit is so free'ing in itself for a handiman.

A "teeny dance of joy",, or is that horizontal dancing?

Mr D - if you think you will be without a cooker for a while I strongly recommend you get yourself a formby-type grill (fairly cheap from catalogue shop places) so you can do grilled stuff like chicken/fish/meat rather than only living on nukable processed goo. I spent a year living without a hob/cooker and also found a rice steamer (plastic basket inside a bigger plastic bowl with a lid) great for doing rice in the microwave, also good for veg. Couscous can be made without needed a hob too.

I've just remembered that not only do we have a Formby grill but we also have an electric steamer! We won't have to live on ready meals!

Well I've taken your advice had a chat with my friend Ellen (also a ) who gave a presentation on the managment of asthma to 200 GPs yesterday. She reckons my symptoms could just be unfitness.

Greetings from Manchester Airport

Fab news, Mr D

to catch a plane

Ouch. Bet you didn't enjoy being told that! Mind you, that is better than worrying about having asthma. Keep up the training and see if you can go a little longer each time before wheezing. A couple of years ago when I tried running (until my knees gave up) I started training on a two minutes walk/two minutes jog regime and as I got stronger I lengthened the time I was joging in between the walks. Then changed it to one minute walk/five minutes jog/ three minutes run. Again I kept building it up until I could run for thirty minutes without stopping and cover three miles. That took a couple of months though. You could give it a go and see if you can delay the wheezing a bit.

I have to admit I didn't feel that embarrassed - it's only Ellen - someone I've known since we were 18.

Like the idea of a two minute jog two minute walk regieme. I've discovered recently = last night how much quicker it is to just go out and jog for 15 mintues rather than actually going To Workout at a gym which can take up to 2 hours all in.

That does sound like a much better thing to try first Z. Any aerobic exercise will help increase lung/heart function which will help the wheezing.

SgV, welcome to Manchester, the weather is usual

We did think that taking a quick puff of some salbutamol before I run and seeing if it makes a difference is a reasonable stratergy = it's not going to do any harm, she just thinks it's not very likely to do any benifit. I do get dramactically shorter of breath and wheezy whilst running in the cold after 20 seconds as opposed to doing cardiovascular excercise at the gym when I get SOB after 20 minutes doing the same sort of excercise.

Do you go on a treadmill at the gym Z? If so, you could see what your limits at running on that in the warm gym are and compare that to when you run outside.

Basically I reckon it works like this.

Treadmill at gym - jogging up to 5 minutes
Jogging outside - 20 seconds
Swimming - 45 minutes.

Interesting that, it is claimed that swimming is good for those with asthma as there is a layer of moist air above the water that helps suffers.

[Bagpuss]

[GDZ - still sick]

[lil]

Yes, but here in OZ if you suffer from asthma the exertion of swimming opens your lungs. You would be surprised at how many of our World Champ swimmers suffer from asthma, even Thorpie.

[ ]

[Drowned Rat]

the problem for swimmers is that while you are getting that nice moist air you are also getting a large dose of chlorine, which is a lung irritant.

congratulations to Mr. D hope your sale closes.